Tag: Def Leppard

Kiss and Def Leppard will team up this summer for a 42-city North American tour that will “deliver good news and excitement,” says Kiss guitarist Paul Stanley.

The tour begins June 23 in West Valley City, Utah, and wraps up Aug. 31 in Woodlands, Texas. Tickets go on sale starting Friday.

The groups announced the tour Monday at the House of Blues in Los Angeles.The press conference was streamed live via the Live Nation website.

Def Leppard singer Joe Elliott says he and Gene Simmons first discussed the idea of the two bands touring together when he and the Kiss bassist played some South American dates two years ago as part of a rock-and-roll all-stars tour. “It’s finally happened, which is fantastic,” Elliott says.

It’ll be the first time the two bands have shared a bill, though Stanley says, “We’ve run into each other at festivals. It just seemed to be a natural fit.” Stanley also noted that one of guitarist Phil Collen’s pre-Def Leppard bands, Girl, opened for Kiss in the U.K. during the early ’80s.

Kiss did a similar co-headlining tour with Motley Crue in 2012.

Kiss released its first album, Hotter Than Hell, 40 years ago, and the band will commemorate the anniversary with a slew of archival releases, including a 34-LP vinyl box set and a two-CD compilation called Kiss 40. The group will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame April 10.

Def Leppard has been writing music for the group’s next album. “We all camped out at my house last month and wrote songs, which you will hear none of this summer,” Elliott says. Collen says he expects that album to come out in 2015.

Simmons says a dollar from each ticket sold on the tour will go to to the Wounded Warrior Project and other military non-profits. Those charitable partners include the USO, Hire a Hero, Project Resiliency/The Raven Drum Foundatio, and The Augusta Warrior Project. “Politicians fart through their mouth,” Simmons says. “Only the military makes freedom possible.”

Stanley adds that the group also plans to hire vets for its crew. “We try to find a couple of vets who want to go out and be part of the team,” he says. “This is a chance for somebody to travel and be part of the Kiss Army.”

Elliot says he doesn’t see any rivalry developing between the groups while they’re on tour. “It’s two great bands that are going to be playing for the same amount of time,” he says. “It’s joint forces. I don’t see it as competitive at all.”

With 100 million records sold worldwide, Def Leppard continues to be one of the most potent forces in global rock. For the past 30 years the band has been a top box-office draw, consistently selling out arenas worldwide. October 19th 2013 sees them issue in Europe (October 18th in UK and 22nd in North America) an exciting new live release, “VIVA! Hysteria”, across multiple formats through Frontiers Records.

Originally released on the 3rd August 1987, the “Hysteria” album took the already well established Def Leppard and catapulted the band into the stratosphere.

The statistics are astounding: the album has sold in excess of 25 million copies and counting. Due to the incredible success of previous album “Pyromania” (released in 1983) and “Hysteria”, Def Leppard are one of only five groups who can claim two separate original 10 million plus selling albums in the US. The others are The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Van Halen.

Produced by Robert John “Mutt” Lange, the album reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Top 200 chart in the U.S. and also No. 1 on the U.K. Album chart. The album has earned critical acclaim from a number of sources including Q Magazine, who voted the release as one of the greatest albums of all time, and Rolling Stone Magazine, who included the collection on their list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

For the first time ever, Def Leppard played HYSTERIA in its entirety during an eleven-show residency which started on March 22, 2013 at The Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel And Casino in Las Vegas. The band played also under the fictitious name of DED FLATBIRD (which came about after someone once mispronounced Def Leppard as “Dead Flat Bird”). Two different opening sets of 35 mins. on each of the nights. The band showcased some fan favourites and very rare songs from the early years of the band besides playing a selection of their greatest hits, highlighting classic material from throughout their career. The “VIVA! Hysteria” show featured an elaborate set design created uniquely for the Las Vegas residency.

“We’ve been asked for many years if we’d ever play an album in its entirety, and the answer was always no because we’d be out promoting a new album,” says lead vocalist Joe Elliott. “Then in March and April 2013 when we had no new music to promote, we had a chance to revisit arguably our most important album. It was an easy decision to make. As for Vegas, it’s no longer perceived as the place crooners go to die! Artists like Motley Crue, Elton John, Guns N Roses & Cheap Trick have recently done residencies and Rock ‘n Roll has definitely moved in! So, there was no better place for us to take the show. It was a fantastic experience for us and for our fans”

Known for legendary arena shows, Def Leppard bring their extravagant production to your house as “VIVA! Hysteria” is their first full live show shot in HD released commercially. Finally “VIVA! Hysteria” showcases for the first time a career-defining album (excluding concept albums) performed live in its entirety – from start to finish – for a commercial audio/video release. “VIVA! Hysteria”! is unlike any show Def Leppard has ever done or will ever do again. This is one release not to miss….

Available on the following formats – 2Cd+Dvd digipak, Blu – Ray, DVD and digital album downloads – the full tracklistings are as follows…

On Through The Night; Slang; Let It Go; Another Hit And Run; High ‘n’ Dry (Saturday Night); Bringin’ On The Heartbreak; Switch 625.

The DVD tracklisting is as above but also includes bonus content of the acoustic medley: Where does love go when it dies/Now/When Love & Hate Collide/Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad/Two Steps Behind.

Def Leppard brought their Rock of Ages tour to the Klipsch Music Center in Noblesville, Indiana August 24th, 2012. Hard Rock Hideout was at the venue to shoot the opening acts Lita Ford and Poison. Check out our photo gallery below!

There are a few dates left on the Rock of Ages tour in 2012. Be sure to check it out if it comes to your town!

Def Leppard has released a Lyric Video for their re-recorded version of their song “Rock of Ages”. The Def Leppard Rock of Ages Tour with Poison and Lita Ford is now underway. Check here for all dates and details go to: ‪http://bit.ly/KeVSb2‬

In this podcast, we talk about the new tour with Def Leppard, Poison & Lita Ford, the new Queen Documentary “Days of Our Lives”, what is happening with Aerosmith, and The Guns ‘N Roses reunion at The Rock and Roll Hall of (Shame) Fame. You can check out a clip of the new Jeff Scott Soto Tune “Damage Control“, and another edition of Rock Anonymous. Check it out!

Def Leppard have announced that they will make a return to the United States this June with a massive summer tour. Dates for the first leg are listed HERE. Joining Def Leppard for this highly anticipated summer tour are Poison and Lita Ford. More dates coming soon!

Today is the 21st anniversary of the passing of Def Leppard guitarist Steve “Steamin” Clark. I can’t listen to those classic Def Leppard albums On Through the Night, High ‘n’ Dry, Pyromania, or Hysteria without thinking about the contributions that Steve made to the music that I love so much.

The song clips below are songs that Steve Clark had writing credits, and performed on. Enjoy! Rest in Peace Steve Clark!! We miss you!!

Diamond Eye capped off a stellar week with an appearance on Perth, Western Australia’s Channel 7 TELETHON charity broadcast on Sunday, getting the studio audience excited with a blazing rendition of ‘Sound Of The Guns’, the title track to their new EP and recent nominee for the Western Australian Music Industry’s Song Of The Year – Metal category.

The “Sound Of The Guns” EP was launched at Perth’s Amplifier Bar on Friday night to a strong crowd of die-hards and new faces, and is now available for purchase through www.diamondeyeofficial.com and iTunes.

Channel 7’s Telethon, now in it’s 33rd year, has raised over $103 million for charity, and this year featured special guest headliners Def Leppard, who rescheduled their Australian tour dates in order to take part.

Telethon crossed live to Def Leppard’s Saturday night Perth concert, and the band performed an acoustic rendition of ‘Two Steps Behind’ in the studio to close out the telecast, which raised over 13 million dollars for charity. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zigQ4-Jx1Y0

British Rock legends Def Leppard are set to embark on a UK tour with Motley Crue this December. The tour will see them play 6 UK dates with Steel Panther as special guest support.

Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott says, “I can’t tell you enough how thrilled I am to announce this tour !! … we always strive to make our shows an event & to have Motley Crue & Steel Panther along for the ride makes this an event that just can’t be missed for rock fans across the UK !! … come join us on what will be the event of the year !!

2011 has also seen the release of the band first ever live album, “Mirrorball” featuring classic tracks, three band new recordings and a bonus DVD and Leppard’s first coffee table book, titled “Def Leppard – The Definitive Visual History”. The album was also released on 3Lp gatefold sleeve.

Def Leppard remain one of the world’s biggest and most successful live acts. Before this year, the band last played the UK and Eire in 2009 – headlining Download festival that year after a hugely successful sold out UK Arena tour in 2008. June 2011 saw Def Leppard headline Download Festival for the second time in three years. The full UK December 2011 dates are as follows:

Tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday 2nd September priced at £47.50 London / £45.00 regionally (subject to booking fee) and will be available from www.livenation.co.uk

With more than 65 million albums sold worldwide and two prestigious Diamond Awards (Def Leppard are one of only five rock bands to have two consecutive 10 million plus selling albums in the U.S. The others are The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Van Halen) to their credit, Def Leppard – Joe Elliott (vocals), Phil Collen (guitar), Rick “Sav” Savage (bass), Vivian Campbell (guitar) and Rick Allen (drums)— continue to be one of the most important forces in rock music. Over the course of their career, the band has produced a series of classic groundbreaking albums that set the bar for generations of music fans and artists alike. The group’s spectacular live shows, filled with powerful melodic rock anthems, continue to sell out venues worldwide. Their epic live show and arsenal of hits have become synonymous with their name, leading Def Leppard to be heralded as an institution in both the music and touring industry.

By now most of you will know that my Father passed away after a long illness, on July 7th, aged 81. This is why some of our shows have been rescheduled, & quite frankly, why I might have been “off my game” recently, & for that I can only apologise. Going into the rehearsals & tour, even with a sick Father’s blessing, is a lot harder than I imagined it to be, & through all the jokes & smiles during interviews & indeed up on stage, there’s an inherent sadness & worry you just can’t shake … and as we like to say, you can’t unscramble an egg, …. it IS hard to deal with, but you all know, we are the kings of getting on with it, so we shall prevail, …. which brings me back to the title of this piece ….

Last night was the first show back after the enforced break, the first show I’ve ever done without a Father, & can I say to the good people of Cincinnati Ohio, THANK YOU FOR MAKING IT THAT LITTLE BIT EASIER TO DEAL WITH BY BEEING “SO” GOOD !!! … I’ll admit, I ran out of gas last night, by Photograpth I had nothing left to give … it WAS emotional, yes, but it was over 100 degrees on stage too, which didn’t help either, but you guys carried me over the last part of the show on a wave of goodwill that I will never forget !! I had to get the first show, wherever it might have been, out of the way, to help me move on as it were, & after experiencing a reception like we did last night I wouldn’t have wanted it anywhere else !!! …. I hope the rest of the shows are as good, and I’m sure they will be, but for now, last night emotionally at least has help[ed my through the hardest few weeks of my life, & I thank you all for that.

Also, I thank everyone who has sent condolence messages to my Mum and me, mainly through the Planet Rock account, way too many to reply to, so please take this as a great big THANK YOU !! … my old man would be well proud !!! … as he was when I photographed him sat on Rick’s Kit at the Don Valley Stadium gig back in 1993, the photograph below is something I thought I’d like to share with you all …..

Once again, thank you all so very much for your support over these last few very difficult weeks …

It seems like everyone is jumping on the live music band wagon in 2011. Def Leppard is just one of many bands who have released a live CD/DVD set in 2011. Def Leppard’s new live collection, Mirrorball, is a Wal-mart exclusive release in the United States, and available via Frontiers Records in Europe.

The question is: Should you buy it? If you are a Def Leppard fan, you most certainly should. This live set was recorded during the band’s Songs From the Sparkle Lounge Tour.

In my opinion Songs From the Sparkle Lounge was not that strong of an album from Def Leppard, and luckily there are only two live songs in the band’s set on this release (three, if you count the bonus live track “Bad Actress”). The live sets on the two CD’s are good. Joe Elliott’s voice is definitely showing its age, but he can still sing. I prefer the second CD in this set with the older material on it. I thought the fan interaction on “Bringin’ on the Heartache” was really cool. The three bonus tracks, are almost worthy of picking up Mirrorball by themselves.

“Undefeated” is a good Def Leppard tune that I would have liked to have seen on the Songs From the Sparkle Lounge CD. It is better than “Nine Lives” &” C’mon C’mon” in my opinion. “Kings of the World” almost has a “Bohemian Rhapsody feel to it. “It’s All About Believin’ ” is a solid tune, although it is nothing overwhelming.

I thought the DVD was ok. I didn’t really care about the music videos, but the live songs, and behind the scenes footage was kind of cool. Overall, I thought the $11.88 our local Wal-Mart charges for Mirrorball was a fair price. The music is good, and the CD’s have already gotten a lot of play from me.

If I have any complaint about Mirrorball, it would be about the set list. I would rather hear Def Leppard play “Rock Brigade”, “Hello America”, or “Wasted” than waste five minutes on a cover of “Rock On”.

This is only a minor complaint. Overall, Mirrorball is definitely worth checking out if you are Def Leppard fan!

PHIL COLLEN – Most famous for his career with Def Leppard and the English Glam Metal band Girl, guitarist and vocalist Phil Collen has quietly carved out a legendary Hard Rock career for himself and he’s not about to slow down. Debuting his diverse Rock outfit Man Raze back in 2005, with lifetime friend and bassist Simon Laffy (Girl) and legendary (Hall Of Famer) Sex Pistols drummer Paul Cook, Phil has fulfilled a lifelong dream of being in a three piece. The energy that Man Raze exhibits through their brand of Rock and Roll is stuff of old school and Phil Collen isn’t making any excuses about it.

With the sophomore release from Man Raze upon us, the excitement that Phil Collen speaks about “punkfunkrootsrock” is outright contagious. This second offering from Man Raze sets into motion that this is a band and not just a one-off project. With the Def Leppard engine still firing on all cylinders, Phil Collen is on the move and ready to Rock at a moments notice. Hard Rock Hideout was very fortunate recently, to catch Phil sitting down and willing to answer whatever question was thrown at him. Just as the music he’s played all through his stellar career, Phil was up-tempo and thoroughly genuine. Here is what Phil had to say:

HRH: Man Raze has a strong Punk Rock backbone, yet that isn’t everything about this band. How do the three of you agree on playing so many different styles of Rock?

PHIL: Agreeing on different styles is one of the things that has drawn the three of us together. We’re all around the same age, from the same town, listen to the same records and are inspired by them. We share this West London “thing” with the Sex Pistols and The Clash. Everyone in the band has that open channel to express themselves. When we got together and started playing, we expressed our influences. Paul (Cook) and I love Reggae, the Trojan Reggae stuff. It took thirty something years for natural inspiration to happen like this. I’ve felt a flash of inspiration like when you were a kid, it makes you feel like a child again, wanting to pick up a guitar and start playing!

HRH: Phil, you sound so excited about Man Raze and what you guys are creating here! Do you have a feeling of new found freedom with Man Raze?

PHIL: Always! The whole thing feels magical, it’s just there. It’s such an amazing thing, playing with Paul. I never thought it would happen, it’s a dream! Even lyrically, some songs reference things, it’s not obvious stuff, just enough to make an impression. Our song “Lies” references all the lies through history. We just tried to develop “that sound” with no restrictions, not genre specific and just really enjoy the multi-genre influences and let it all happen! I see so many artists my age that are jaded and can’t find where they are. Not us, we have this boatload of energy! To express art through words and music is so rewarding.

HRH: What can you tell the fans about this new and forthcoming Man Raze album?

PHIL: My wife had asked what’s it all about? So Paul said it kind of has some Punk, Funk and Rock. (laughs). So we named the album “punkfunkrootsrock”. It’s all one word! I’m totally pumped and excited about this new record! Some of the songs we’ve never played live together, so they are brand new to us too. This new album has Funk, Sixties and Seventies Rock and Soul inspired by Sly and the Family Stone, Otis Redding and Marvin Gaye.

HRH: That’s very diverse and downright cool, Phil!

PHIL: Making this new album has been a liberating experience! This new album is artistically a representation that I’m extremely proud of. As an artist, you can’t describe how good it feels to have no restrictions. Each song is different. That’s the great thing about it, when you write a song and it becomes it’s own. “All I Wanna Do” is a song on the album that reminds me of Hendrix and Otis Redding doing a song! That’s the vibe I get from it!

HRH: You guys can utilize improvisation.

PHIL: Yes we can! No one song ever ends the same when we are playing live!

HRH: Each time the Rock and Roll of Man Raze hits me, the vibes and feeling of “real” sets right in. How do you guys capture such a raw and real Rockin’ sound like you do?

PHIL: I approach it very differently than from, let’s say, Def Leppard. We do one take for start offs and put no restrictions on what we do. It’s Punk, Rock and Funk. When we do one or at most two takes, the energy is captured on the songs. If you’re too meticulous and precise and spend too much time on it, then you lose the realness of it. We get goose bumps and excited about what we play among the group. You know, it took us three years to record “Animal” for “Hysteria”.

HRH: Whoa! It took three years to record just “Animal”?

PHIL: This was a magical and best time while we recorded “Hysteria”. We had the great vocal, only “Mutt” Lange said the backing tracks did not sound good! So, Joe (Elliott) and I went back and re-recorded not only the backing tracks, we re-recorded the vocals too! (laughs).

HRH: (laughs). That’s a fun story to know Phil. So that energy I hear and feel from Man Raze is real after all!

PHIL: Totally! You know, Paul has the same cymbal as he used on that great Sex Pistols album! (laughs). I’m like, wow! (laughs).

HRH: That’s unreal and very cool! (laughs).

PHIL: “Mutt” (Lange) and I would talk about Paul Cook’s drumming and the sound of his cymbals when we recorded “Hysteria”. We wanted to capture Paul’s cymbal sound on the Hysteria album. I think we did.

HRH: “Surreal” is as dynamic and quality strewn as any debut album can be. How and what was your approach to creating the new album like?

PHIL: A very natural flow was the way it all went together. It reminds me of Iggy and the Stooges and Bowie, we just go with it! Like a production line, we never got stuck on anything, it really flowed. We had about twenty songs or parts of twenty songs to start. We have a record label, let’s scramble together! We recorded the album in two weeks in London. It was an enjoyable experience in the studio, plus we were budget minded about it.

HRH: When you guys are writing songs, do you aim for equality when it comes to representing respective styles or does it just flow and go?

PHIL: It absolutely flows and goes! These new songs are more closer to me than the last album we did. We maybe went too commercial and could not get it right. On this second record we have it right. Some things work out better the second time around. We just captured that flow and played these songs.

HRH: Your new single “Over My Dead Body” will be released on iTunes may 31, (2011), with both an electric and acoustic version. (Doubleheader). How difficult is it to choose the lead single for the forthcoming album?

PHIL: Everyone was involved in choosing the first track. “Over My Dead Body” is about death. It’s a cross between the Sex Pistols and The Rolling Stones. This song comes across very raw with loud vocals. There is a uniqueness to it, it’s very Rock and Roll. I’ve been waiting to hear something like that for years.

HRH: How rewarding is it to have your music of Man Raze included in the soundtrack for “I, Superbiker”?

PHIL: It’s such a compliment to us. Mark (Sloper) is a champion of the band and has a t.v. show in London. (Mark Sloper is the writer, director and producer of I, Superbiker). It’s a documentary movie on super biking, real guy stuff!

HRH: How often do the three of you agree to disagree?

PHIL: Actually, we don’t. All three of us have valid and amazing insight to stuff. We are three grown men with massive experience. There was one thing brought up. The Def Leppard backing vocals is not what we wanted to be incorporating into our music. In Def Leppard, the backing vocals are like an instrument. The guys say it gets away from the essence of what is us (Man Raze). Vivian (Campbell) and I can do so many things together in Def Leppard, I will say that.

HRH: Do you ever step back and marvel at the profound Rock sound that is created by a classic power trio such as Man Raze?

PHIL: I do actually. With all the experiences I’ve had, playing all around the world and being on t.v. and all that, being a lead guitarist and lead singer of a three piece is so liberating. With Def Leppard, it’s a totally different format with two guitarists. With Man Raze, we can end songs with different lengths. We never play a song twice the same. With other bands, we rehearse over everything and play the same bars. In Man Raze, we experiment and if it doesn’t work, you then take the song somewhere else. This all takes you on a journey, one I’ve never experienced until Man Raze. I’m bummed I never experienced this before.

HRH: It’s so great that Def Leppard and Journey are still around!

PHIL: It’s magic that makes it all happen after all these years. Journey, on stage they go off on a tangent and listen to each other!

HRH: There’s nothing like improvisation with Rock and Roll.

PHIL: Jazz musicians have always done this. Jimi Hendrix and Mitch Mitchell! Mitch would be going somewhere and Jimi would go somewhere with what Mitch was doing. Journey is a great band with that! They can take it to a different place, if they wanted to with their music.

HRH: What can fans expect from Def Leppard’s first live album “Mirrorball”, which releases this Summer?

PHIL: It’s such a long time coming! We’ve done the live DVD and all that. There’s twenty one tracks with three new studio tracks on “Mirrorball”. Rick, Joe and I wrote a song each. It was recorded during the last two tours. We record every show and I asked our producer to catch the audience reaction for this live album. I love all that kind of stuff! For thirty years Def Leppard was in a cycle of album, tour, album and tour. We never had that time set aside for doing a live album. We finally took our first year off in 2010, worked on “Mirrorball” and I got married!

HRH: You got married? Congratulations Phil!

PHIL: Thanks!

HRH: Will Man Raze be playing some festivals this Summer?

PHIL: I’m not sure. In August, in the States, it would be just L.A.. It would be super cool to do some festivals though!

HRH: Going back to influences, anymore you want to share?

PHIL: The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Nirvana and The Police. The Police being my favorite band ever! When I first heard Steve Jones (Sex Pistols guitarist) and Steve Stevens (Billy Idol and countless other recordings) I could not believe what I was hearing! The attitude and involvement with their playing just blew me away!

HRH: Is Man Raze a lifelong dream of yours that has come to pass?

PHIL: It is actually. I always wanted to be in a three piece band! I’ve known Simon (Laffy) all my life, we were in Girl together. Five years ago, my Dad was in the hospital, I was visiting him quite a bit. One day I saw Paul Cook literally on a London street. I asked him to check out my music, to see if he’s interested and what he thought.

HRH: That’s such an incredible story, how you just actually bumped into Paul Cook on a London street and exchanged an invitation to him like that!

PHIL: In the super big cities like New York, London and Paris, they each have a scene going on. You bump into people of all Rock genres. I knew Billy Idol back in the 70’s! (laughs). What I love about London is I can walk from my house to Paul Cooks house in ten minutes, with my guitar under my arm and a studio in-between. All these years I never realized Paul Cook lived so close by! I asked Paul Cook on that street one day to check out my music and to come down… and click!

Frontiers Records is pleased to announce the signing of DEF LEPPARD for the release of the upcoming live album MIRROR BALL on June 17th in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, June 20th in the rest of Europe and June 23rd in France.

MIRROR BALL is Def Leppard’s first ever live album. The group’s spectacular live shows, filled with powerful melodic rock anthems, have become synonymous with their name, leading Def Leppard to be heralded as an institution in both the music and touring industry. It makes perfect sense that the band would finally release a live album, MIRROR BALL, featuring all of the triumphant hits that continue to make Def Leppard one of the most admired rock bands in the world.

MIRROR BALL was recorded across the world over the course of many of the band’s sold-out dates and features all of the classic songs that have made Def Leppard one of the most respected and beloved power rock bands in the world. The album captures the group’s legendary concert experience at its thunderous best, bringing together live versions of classic Leppard hits such as “POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME,” “ROCK OF AGES,” “FOOLIN’,” “HYSTERIA,” “PHOTOGRAPH” and an incredible rendition of “BRINGING ON THE HEARTBREAK.” With their creative juices at full flow, the band has also added three new studio tracks: “UNDEFEATED,” “IT’S ALL ABOUT BELIEVIN'” and “KINGS OF THE WORLD,” that are undeniably Def Leppard and take their place with ease within this classic setlist.

Joe Elliott says, “I’m really happy that we’ve been able to include three brand new songs on the album, all VERY different from each other & a teaser of what our next studio album will be like. We could have waited until next year, but to be quite honest, we’re so excited with the new songs we want people to hear them now!” Rick Savage adds, “The 3 new songs on this release are what Def Leppard is and has always has been about. These songs are not just thrown in to have something not heard before. Personally, I think it’s THE best work we have put together in years. From the “Sugar” quality of “Undefeated” to the Hysteria/Animal melodic rock of “It’s all about Believing,” to the ambitious and over the top epic, “Kings of the world. “The message is in the titles. If ever you needed reminding, the heartbeat of Leppard is as strong as ever.”

Also included will be a 50 mins. bonus DVD that contains energetic live performances and intimate backstage footage of the band captured on the road.

MIRROR BALL follows the band’s 2008 studio release, SONGS FROM THE SPARKLE LOUNGE, which debuted at #5 on the Billboard Top 200, marking the group’s highest chart position in the USA since 1992’s ADRENALIZE.

With more than 65 million albums sold worldwide and two prestigious Diamond Awards (Def Leppard are one of only five rock bands to have two consecutive 10 million plus selling albums in the U.S. – the others are The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Van Halen) to their credit, Def Leppard – Joe Elliott (vocals), Phil Collen (guitar), Rick “Sav” Savage (bass), Vivian Campbell (guitar) and Rick Allen (drums) – continue to be one of the most important forces in rock music.

Over the course of their career, the band has produced a series of classic groundbreaking albums that set the bar for generations of music fans and artists alike. The group’s spectacular live shows, filled with powerful melodic rock anthems, continue to sell out venues worldwide. Their epic live show and arsenal of hits have become synonymous with their name, leading Def Leppard to be heralded as an institution in both the music and touring industry.

DVD includes live performances of: Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop); Armageddon It; Pour Some Sugar On Me; Hysteria. Music videos: Nine Lives; C’Mon C’Mon. The new single “Undefeated” can be streamed on www.defleppard.com and on Frontiers Records webradio: www.frontiers.it/webradio

Release Marks the First Official LP from Def Leppard That Will Be Available Digitally

48 City US Summer Tour with Heart Set to Kick Off On June 15th

New Website DefLeppard.com Launching in May!

Def Leppard has confirmed June 7th as the North American release date for their first ever live album “MIRRORBALL” (Bludgeon Riffola/Mailboat Records), which will be available exclusively at Walmart & Sam’s Club locations in the United States and Canada. The album will include a 50 minute DVD that contains live performances and intimate backstage footage of the band captured on the road. A special limited vinyl edition will also be made available. “MIRRORBALL” will also be available online, marking the first time the band’s music will officially be made available for digital purchase. Def Leppard will also be releasing their new community based website in May, which is being developed to be the ultimate Def Leppard fan experience and go-to destination for all things on the band.

Said Joe Elliott, “To be able to say at last, we have a live album out & it be a three disc package which includes a DVD makes me very happy… it’s the soundtrack of OUR lives…!”

“MIRRORBALL” was recorded across the world over the course of many of the band’s sold-out dates and features all of the classic songs that have made Def Leppard one of the most respected and beloved power rock bands in the world. The album captures the group’s legendary concert experience at its thunderous best, bringing together live versions of classic Leppard hits such as “POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME,” “ROCK OF AGES,” “FOOLIN’,” “HYSTERIA,” “PHOTOGRAPH” and an incredible rendition of “BRINGING ON THE HEARTBREAK.” With their creative juices at full flow, the band has also added three new studio tracks: “UNDEFEATED,” “IT’S ALL ABOUT BELIEVIN'” and “KINGS OF THE WORLD,” that are undeniably Def Leppard. “MIRRORBALL” follows the band’s 2008 studio release, “SONGS FROM THE SPARKLE LOUNGE“, which debuted at #5 on the Billboard Top 200, marking the group’s highest chart position since 1992’s “ADRENALIZE“.

Last month, Def Leppard announced their triumphant return to US stages with a 48 city summer tour kicking off on June 15 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Tickets for the Live Nation produced tour and on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and LiveNation.com. Joining Def Leppard for this highly anticipated tour are Seattle rock legends Heart.

In addition to the album, Chronicle Books will be releasing “DEF LEPPARD: THE DEFINITIVE VISUAL HISTORY“, featuring photos of the band by legendary rock photographer Ross Halfin. His fully authorized visual history of the band follows them from their beginnings to their massive “PYROMANIA” and “HYSTERIA” albums to the sustained power of their records and tours today. The book will be available this June 15.

Def Leppard, Britain’s greatest arena rock band, are set to release a brand new live album, “MIRRORBALL“, this summer featuring a mix of live Def Leppard classics (recorded throughout The Sparkle Lounge Tour), three brand new studio songs and a bonus DVD that contains energetic live performances and intimate backstage footage captured on the road. “MIRRORBALL” is Def Leppard’s first ever live album and features rock classics such as “ANIMAL”, “POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME”, “PHOTOGRAPH”, “NINE LIVES” and “ROCK OF AGES”. The album also brings together three brand new studio tracks – “UNDEFEATED”, “KINGS OF THE WORLD” and “IT’S ALL ABOUT BELIEVIN'” taking their place with ease within this classic setlist.

“MIRRORBALL” will also be available online, marking the first time the band’s music will officially be made available for digital purchase. Def Leppard will also be releasing their new community based website in May, which is being developed to be the ultimate Def Leppard fan experience and go- to destination for all things on the band.

Also set for release this summer is Leppard’s first coffee table book titled “Def Leppard – The Definitive Visual History“, with exclusive photos by legendary rock photographer Ross Halfin. The book is released on the 1st June 2011.

Def Leppard remain one of the world’s biggest and most successful live acts. The band last played the UK and Eire in 2009 – headlining Download festival that year after a hugely successful sold out UK Arena tour in 2008. 2011 will see Def Leppard headline Download Festival for the second time in three years. The band will also play Arena shows in both Dublin and Belfast with legendary special guests Alice Cooper and Thin Lizzy. Full details below:

With more than 65 million albums sold worldwide and two prestigious Diamond Awards (Def Leppard are one of only five rock bands to have two consecutive 10 million plus selling albums in the U.S. – the others are The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Van Halen) to their credit, Def Leppard – Joe Elliott (vocals), Phil Collen (guitar), Rick “Sav” Savage (bass), Vivian Campbell (guitar) and Rick Allen (drums) – continue to be one of the most important forces in rock music. Over the course of their career, the band has produced a series of classic groundbreaking albums that set the bar for generations of music fans and artists alike. The group’s spectacular live shows, filled with powerful melodic rock anthems, continue to sell out venues worldwide. Their epic live show and arsenal of hits have become synonymous with their name, leading Def Leppard to be heralded as an institution in both the music and touring industry.

“MIRRORBALL” will be released through Bludgeon Riffola/Mailboat Records. For dates, see below:

I was scanning through the Def Leppard VEVO channel, and discovered a Def Leppard video that I have seen before. The song “Now” is from the 2002 Def Leppard album, X. Gotta love that Union Jack T-Shirt! 🙂

Due to unforeseen personal matters, the third leg of Def Leppard’s North American Tour, set to begin on October 22nd with special guest Cheap Trick, has been cancelled. “We know how truly blessed we are to have such committed fans,” said the band in a statement. “That’s why we’ve agonized over this decision. Even if just a single concert, we don’t take cancelling shows lightly, but unfortunately life’s commitments need to be the priority.”

ADDITIONAL U.S. AND CANADIAN SHOWS ADDED TO THE CONCERT EVENT OF THE SUMMER

The hottest rock tour of the summer has just gotten hotter. Fifteen additional concerts, including seven in Canada, have been added to the critically hailed tour of the summer starring British rock legends Def Leppard, special guests Cheap Trick and Man Raze. Tickets in select markets go on sale beginning September 25th at LiveNation.com. Additional dates to be announced soon.

“We are really amazed by how well the tour has been received,” said Def Leppard front man Joe Elliott. “Our fans have been absolutely fantastic. There’s really no greater compliment than to be asked to keep on doing it so that’s what we’re going to do.”

The tour’s third leg will kick off in Reno, Nevada on Thursday, October 22nd. It highlights three decades of music from one of rock ‘n’ roll’s greatest bands. With combined sales of 80 Million albums worldwide, 65 million from Leppard alone, fans will be treated to hits like “Photograph,” “Rock Of Ages,” “C’mon C’mon,” “Pour Some Sugar On Me,” “Foolin’,” “Bringin’ On The Heartbreak,” “Nine Lives,” as well as Cheap Trick classics “I Want You To Want Me” and “Surrender.”

The tour has played to massive crowds throughout the summer. Celebrity guests, some of which include Taylor Swift, Larry Mullen, Jr. Of U2, and Perry Farrell of Jane’s Addiction, along with a wide range of fans of all ages have come to see the mega hit-filled show. Def Leppard also launched the first interactive tour in history via Rockzimity, a Bluetooth and Wifi exclusive.

Def Leppard (Joe Elliott/vocals, Vivian Campbell/guitar, Phil Collen/guitar, Rick “Sav” Savage/bass and Rick Allen/drums) sits at the top of an iconic class of rock ‘n’ roll bands. In fact, they are one of a handful of select groups, including the likes of The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Pink Floyd and The Eagles, who have been awarded the R.I.A.A.’s prestigious Diamond Award more than once (Pyromania and Hysteria). The band’s most recent album Songs From The Sparkle Lounge debuted last year at #5 on the Billboard Top 200. They’ve also sold out the 02 in Dublin AND headlined Britain’s Download Festival 2009 to more then 80,000. Over the course of their career, Def Leppard has produced a series of classic groundbreaking albums that set the sound for generations of music fans and artists. The group’s spectacular live shows, filled with powerful melodic rock anthems, have become synonymous with their name and are an institution in the touring industry as they continue to sell out arenas worldwide.

With more than 5,000 performances, 20 million records sold, 29 movie soundtracks and 40 gold and platinum-recording awards, Cheap Trick may be one of the most covered bands of all time. Since the 70s they’ve been blending elements of pop, punk and even metal in a way that is instantly catchy and recognizable.

Cheap Trick’s acclaimed new album, The Latest, continues their reign as power-pop progenitors as they celebrate their 35th anniversary together. Since forming in the city of Rockford, IL in 1974, they have sold over 20 million albums and had numerous hits including “Surrender,” “I Want You to Want Me” and “Dream Police.” Cheap Trick features the original line-up of Robin Zander – vocals and guitar, Rick Nielsen – guitar and backing vocals, Bun E. Carlos – drums and backing vocals & Tom Petersson – bass and backing vocals.

Live Nation will produce the tour nationally. Additional ticket and tour information is available at LiveNation.com.

Def Leppard has teamed up with I Love All Access to offer the ultimate fan experience for the tour featuring a variety of packages. For more details go to http://www.iloveallaccess.com

I was grateful that the Download festival streamed the perfomances from the main stage last weekend. I enjoyed quite a few of the bands that I was able to watch. Several videos have been uploaded to Youtube over the last couple of days capturing some performances from this massive festival in Donington Park, England. Check out the clips of Motley Crue, Whitesnake and Def Leppard below!

Ace Marketing & Promotions, Inc. announced today Def Leppard’s 2009 North American tour is sure to be the hottest Rock show of the summer with special guests Poison and Cheap Trick. The tour kicks off this month on June 23rd in Camden, N.J. Fans attending any of these events will want to make sure that they don’t leave home without their mobile phone and certainly don’t leave it in the car, because Def Leppard is offering fans more ways to interact with them than ever before. Def Leppard is promoting “ROCKZIMITY,” a Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Proximity Marketing System powered by Ace Marketing & Promotions Inc . Def Leppard also announced that they have added SMS TEXT MESSAGING promotions on the North American portion of the tour, leveraging Ace Marketing’s full suite of “Team and Tour mobile interactive solutions.” In today’s economic climate and in the entertainment industry, you have to add more value and a more interactive experience for consumers. Def Leppard’s doing just that, we are honored to be partnered with them for this dynamic tour,” stated Matt Gaines, CMO for Ace Marketing & Promotions.

Fans arriving at the show, with any of the 1,200 compatible enabled mobile devices (including the iPhone), will be offered FREE Def Leppard content. Some of the content features select Def Leppard Album Art Wallpapers for your cell phone, video clips and “voice-tones” featuring your favorite Def Leppard band member voices as a Ringtone. All concert-goers have to do to participate in “ROCKZIMITY” is ENABLE their Bluetooth Visibility and then visit any of the “ROCKZIMITY” Hot Spot locations throughout the venue. For iPhone users, simply connect to the “ROCKZIMITY” the Wi-Fi localized network that is created in the active zones.

Here’s how it works, there are clearly identified ROCKZIMITY zones and “CALL TO ACTION” sign will direct fans to ENABLE the Bluetooth VISIBILITY on the mobile device. Once ENABLED and a fan’s VISIBILITY is set to DISCOVERABLE, the Proximity Marketing system will detect ENABLED devices within the zone (approximately 50-100ft). Fans will receive the message “Do you want to receive a VIDEO from Def Leppard?” Upon accepting the message, the content download begins, only taking a few seconds and then is stored in the media folder on a fan’s mobile device. Immediately following another prompt will offer fans the next piece of content. There is no cost, no data charges, no minutes of service, just having their Bluetooth enabled and set to Always Visible or DISCOVERABLE.

Fans also have the opportunity to participate in many DEFLEP text messaging promotions featuring a free test drive of the fan club, select autographed merchandise or even a short personal phone call from one of the members of the band. Def Leppard front man Joe Elliott stated, “These unique fan interactions provide relevant, engaging opportunities for our fans, Def Leppard is committed to delivering a one of a kind, artist to fan experience.” Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen went on to say, “Fans can now stay connected with Def Leppard, Anytime, Anywhere and On The Go. With Def Leppard’s Mobile Website (http://m.defleppard.com) ROCKZIMITY, Proximity Bluetooth Technology and Text Messaging Def Leppard is providing meaningful ways to interact with fans, our most important customer.” For the complete Def Leppard 2009 Tour Schedule and more information on ROCZIMITY visit www.defleppard.com.

DEF LEPPARD ANNOUNCES 40-CITY TOUR WITH POISON & SPECIAL GUEST CHEAP TRICK
TICKETS FOR THE CONCERT EVENT OF THE SUMMER GO ON SALE BEGINNING MARCH 6TH

In what is sure to be the biggest rock event this summer, Britain’s greatest arena rock band Def Leppard will join forces with Poison and special guest Cheap Trick for a 39-city North American Tour. Tickets go on-sale to the general public beginning Friday, March 6th at www.livenation.com. Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning March 4th at 10am local time through Citi’s Private Pass Program. For complete presale details visit www.privatepass.citi.com.

With combined sales of 100 Million albums worldwide, 65 million from Leppard alone, fans can expect hits like “PHOTOGRAPH,” “ROCK OF AGES,” “C’MON C’MON,” “POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME,” “FOOLIN’,” “BRINGIN’ ON THE HEARTBREAK, “NINE LIVES,” and countless others creating an evening of rock ‘n’ roll unlike any other this summer.

The tour, which kicks off on June 23rd in Camden, N.J, promises an unprecedented night for those in attendance. The show will highlight three decades of music from three of rock ‘n’ roll’s greatest bands for a four-hour interactive concert experience that will begin the moment that the doors open. It will feature Bluetooth technology and delivery, text communications prior to and during performances and a host of interactive offerings. This in addition to an arsenal of nearly 60 Top 40 hits including Poison’s “EVERY ROSE HAS ITS THORN,” “UNSKINNY BOP,” “RIDE THE WIND,” “SOMETHIN’ TO BELIEVE IN,” and “NOTHIN’ BUT A GOOD TIME,” as well as Cheap Trick’s “I WANT YOU TO WANT ME” and “SURRENDER.”

“I’m very pleased that we are coming back to North America,” said Def Leppard front man Joe Elliott. “We’re gonna be touring with some new friends and some old friends and can guarantee it will be the Rock Tour of the summer.”

“There is nothing better than an epic summer concert and this tour is a dream come true for rock ‘n’ roll fans. It will be a night of a thousand hits with three hard-charging rock bands on the road together,” said Poison front man and star of VH1’s top-rated “Rock of Love Bus” reality show Bret Michaels.

Def Leppard (Joe Elliott – vocals, Vivian Campbell – guitar, Phil Collen – guitar, Rick “Sav” Savage -bass and Rick Allen – drums) sits at the top of an iconic class of rock ‘n’ roll bands. In fact, they are one of a handful of select groups, including the likes of The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and The Eagles, who have been awarded the RIAA’s prestigious Diamond Award more than once (“PYROMANIA” and “HYSTERIA“). The band’s most recent album “SONGS FROM THE SPARKLE LOUNGE” debuted last year at #5 on the Billboard Top 200; earning Def Leppard their highest-charting debut since their 1992 album “ADRENALIZE“.

Over the course of their career, Def Leppard has produced a series of classic groundbreaking albums that set the sound for generations of music fans and artists. The group’s spectacular live shows, filled with powerful melodic rock anthems, have become synonymous with their name and are an institution in the touring industry as they continue to sell out arenas worldwide.

Poison, one of rock’s most iconic and enduring bands, has been one of the music industry’s top acts, with multi-platinum album sales and sold out tours since first bursting onto the scene in 1986. Poison’s Bret Michaels, C.C. Deville, Bobby Dall and Rikki Rockett have sold more than 30 million albums worldwide and charted twelve Top 10 hits. Throughout Poison’s career, the band’s members have enjoyed collaborative and solo successes from the stage to screen. Bret Michaels currently stars in the #1 viewed reality show on cable, VH1’s “Rock of Love Bus.”

With more than 5,000 performances, 20 million records sold, 29 movie soundtracks and 40 gold and platinum-recording awards, Cheap Trick may be one of the most covered bands of all time. Since the 70s they’ve been blending elements of pop, punk and even metal in a way that is instantly catchy and recognizable.

In a bizarre interview conducted by a man dressed as a banana, Kip Winger has taken aim and fired at Metallica’s Lars Ulrich and Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliot.

In a rather outspoken interview with C.C. Banana (that’s our man in a banana suit), Winger commented thus:

C.C. Banana: Have you ever thrown darts at a photo of Lars Ulrich?

Kip Winger: I’ve never done that. I really never had anything against the guy. In fact, when I first heard Metallica’s “black” album, I thought it was a really cool record… and then they just started taking shots at me, for whatever reason. But it’s okay, Lars is not really that talented. He’s got a lot of fucking money, though, so I’m sure he’s happy. I actually felt sorry for him when I saw that “Some Kind of Monster” documentary. He was sitting there next to his dad, just seething with unmoved emotion over things that were still unresolved. It was really kind of sad to watch. But I do like Metallica, they’re a good band.

C.C. Banana: Do you have any other topics you’d care to address, Kip?

Kip Winger: Yeah, I just want to say that I read what Joe Elliott said, slagging off bands like POISON and WINGER. I’ve gotten used to being the punching bag, I take it all! But Poison is really good live and Bret Michaels’ own response to Joe was awesome. I also love Def Leppard and I think they’re a great band. But if Joe Elliott wants to meet me at an L.A. club of his choice with an acoustic guitar, leave the Pro Tools at home and I’ll open up a can of whoop-ass on him!

Some of you are probably wondering why I would cover a fifteen year old movie soundtrack at HRH, but I have a very good reason to do so.

Chances are, you probably have seen this clunker of a movie featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger. This is one of the rare cases where the movie soundtrack is actually better than the movie itself.

A couple of wees ago, I started looking for rare cuts from Tesla, and discovered that they performed the title track to the movie “Last Action Hero”. While I didn’t remember the song, I saw the list of bands on this sound track and couldn’t resist picking this up. I secured a copy off of Amazon.com for 1 cent plus shipping.

You can’t really go wrong with a soundtrack that has AC/DC, Alice in Chains, Megadeth, Queensryche, Def Leppard, Anthrax, Aerosmith and Tesla on it.

This is the only place you will find the Tesla cut, “Last Action Hero”. This also has a semi rare cut from Megadeth “Angry Again” which originally only available on the Hidden Treasures CD, but can now also be found in the Megadeth Warchest CD box set, or the newer greatest hits disc Anthology.

This also the only place you will find the AC/DC song “Big Gun” (in the video below).

I didn’t really care for the Alice in Chains songs, but the rest of the stuff on this disc is pretty good. For one penny plus shipping, it was a worthy purchase. You can find a copy for of the CD, at this link.

POISON drummer Rikki Rockett has threatened DEF LEPPARD singer Joe Elliott with a beatdown following Elliott’s recent onstage outburst in which Joe reportedly called Rockett a “fucking idiot [who has] never seen a good band before.”

In a brand new posting in the blog section of his MySpace page, Rockett writes, “For fuck’s sake, Joe Elliott! Joe, king of the power mullet, at this point you need to shut the fuck up! No more talkin’ shit. I’ll give you a choice on how you go down. Arm bar, leg lock, shoulder lock, triangle, back choke or knock out. You pick! Let’s get it on!”

I haven’t covered this story at HRH, but Joe Elliott’s latest retort to Bret Michaels and Rikki Rockett is pricless! Read on!

DEF LEPPARD frontman Joe Elliott has hit back at POISON singer Bret Michaels and drummer Rikki Rockett over their response to Elliott’s comments at a June 6 press conference at the Sweden Rock Festival, in which Elliott said bands like POISON and MÖTLEY CRÜE had “no substance in their music” and therefore relied more on their image in the ’80s. Rockett questioned Elliott’s rock historian credentials in his posting, and wrote, “I’d be hurt if this were coming from John Lennon… So it takes about one minute and 45 seconds to put on eyeliner. I suppose during that same time you were writing the next ‘Imagine’.”

Michaels had already responded to Elliott’s comments earlier, saying, “We have not sold out, and continuously, for 20 years every arena because we care about just our appearance. The music comes first.” He then added, “(DEF LEPPARD) shouldn’t be knocking anyone about their music since they just did a show called ‘Dancing With The Stars’ in the U.S. and they got crucified because they fucking lip-synched the entire show, so before they bust anyone’s balls, I’ve never lip-synched a fucking thing in my life — ever! It’s the pot calling the kettle black.”

In a brand new message posted at DEF LEPPARD’s official web site, Elliott writes, “Whoah boys, slow down!!! Well, Bret has a point, we DID lip-synch on ‘Dancing With The Stars’… absolutely… a show they’d love to be on, no doubt! But it was two-fold. One, the nature of the show didn’t lean towards a full live performance, too many restrictions, so we lip-synched — the way ALL artists do when they shoot videos (and the same as we did on ‘American Bandstand’ 25 years ago, and every time we did ‘Top Of The Pops’, dozens of times, so to us Englishmen, it’s no big deal). Two, I had a severe respritory infection, as highlighted by my croaking through the (absolutely 100% live!) ‘Ellen’ show performance the day before! My throat doctor (Dr. Sugarman, possibly Bret’s doctor too!) advised me NOT to sing for a week, but these shows were all on the week our new album was released, so canceling wasn’t an option…. hence my rather again croaky performance on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ the next night! I was simply making the following simple point when I said a lot of those Hollywood bands weren’t ‘real’ (or whatever I said)… I was born Joseph Elliott, Sav was born Richard Savage, Rick was born Richard Allen, Phil was born Philip Collen, Viv was born Vivian Campbell, and oh, Steve was born Stephen Clark. I don’t think anyone in POISON uses their real name, do they? And I could name hundreds of others who don’t, but POISON came to mind because I was asked about them! It’s nothing personal, it was just an answer to a question. As for being ‘crucified’ for lip-synching, one DJ on KLOS doesn’t worry me, however, a Top 5 entry in the Billboard album chart the week after and very healthy ticket sales seems to lean towards the fact that most of our fans knew that I was sick and that I ‘took one for the team,’ as it were. Calm down boys, you’ve heard worse, no?! Hey… Rikki implies we’re miming on tour?! HA!!! Well, he’s welcome to come see us anytime he wants… Obviously not used to hearing a good band very often then, is he?? 🙂 Also, glitter rock may well have been re-christened in the 80’s by er, someone in Hollywood, but trust me, I WAS THERE in 1972 in the UK, when Bowie, Bolan, SLADE, SWEET etc….. ruled with GLAM ROCK! Check out some old mags and you’ll see for yourself. I’m no historian, just a big fan, but sorry, Rikki (excuse me if I’ve spelled that wrong, though!), you’re wrong here, mate… very wrong! As you might say yourself, chill dude, just shootin’ the shit! PS: Rikki — John Lennon is dead, in case no no told you… And ‘Elliott’ is spelled with 2 ‘T’s…”

I started compiling the following list of New releases for 2008. This may not be a complete list, but so much great new music has arrived in 2008, so far, I though it would be a good idea to keep a running tab of what has come out, and what is on the way. The releases through August have been confirmed. Releases with a question mark have not been confirmed yet. This list will be updated as more news arrives.